Monday, April 3, 2017

Wild, Wild West 2: Or Why I Don't Write for a Living

Assuming the first film did alright, let's talk sequels. The cast is more or less the same unless noted.


1879-time has moved more or less normal. President Grant has given way to President Rutherford B. Hayes (James Brolin). Hayes wants to clear some of the deadwood out from the Secret Service, which suites agents James West and Artemus Gordon just fine. West wants to retire out west, while Gordon has been eyeing a return to the stage.

There's just one last mission. West is tasked to captured the rogue Mexican agent Rita Escobar. Escobar has gone crazy, apparently, and according to intelligence is looking to do in several world leaders.

West and Gordon don't believe it, but orders are orders. Besides, better for her if they take her in rather than some hotshot Pinkerton agent, right?

They catch her trying to slip into the French embassy with a satchel of dynamite. She swears there is a good reason though, just as the aforementioned Pinkertons show up. West gets suspicious when the dozen or so agents open fire with Gatling guns instead of trying to arrest her.

Now on the run, Rita explains what she was doing. She was placed undercover in the traveling circus of  Count Carlos Mario Vincenzo Robespierre Manzeppi (Maury Chaykin). The Count's circus is actually a front for a ring of assassins. The Count is also rumored to be a sorcerer. Rita swears that last one isn't a rumor.

What the Count has done has killed the heads of various states and replaced them with magically created doubles. Rita has a list and dozen hired killers on her tail.

Naturally West and Gordon aren't going to let this slide. Can they stop the Count in time?